Photo Flashback: Fire at the Colony Apartments

This fire at The Colony Apartments happened 10 years ago.  I wasn't there when it happened, but came by in the following days and took pictures....

GARDEN TIP: Use Faux Plants to Protect Seedlings

 

This is an easy garden tip I learned by accident.   I had tried and tried to grow plants from seeds on my back porch when I was living in an apartment, but time and again the hot Texas sun fried the seedlings before they could grow.   So, in frustration one day I just stuck a bunch of fake flowers in the pot, strait down into the soil I had planned for real flowers.

And then, two weeks later, I noticed some new leaves pushing up through the faux plants.   REAL petunia seeds had sprouted under the shade of the fake flowers and were now inching their way past them to the sunlight.

Even when we moved to a house in Waco with a real yard, I used this technique.   I'd buy dollar store fake flowers, and stick them in the ground over my rows of carrots, beans, peppers, etc. until the plants were strong and hardy enough to do without the shade. 

Above you can see a young green been being protected by some of these dollar store flowers.  

Yes, you can also start seedlings inside and transfer them once they're stronger...but that doesn't work with all types of plants, and it's an extra step you can skip if you use fake flowers or something else to shade them.   And the fake flowers are easy to use and look pretty in the meantime. 

Waco Planting Calender: August

 

I know, it's hot...and who wants to garden when its hot?   But there are some vegetables you can plant this month, most of which it will be too late to plant next month (those are highlighted in bold below).  If it's not too late to plant them next month though, I suggest waiting until then.

As always, this is just about the vegetables and herbs. 

START SEEDS OUTDOORS

Beans, snap bush (by Sept 1)
Beans, Lima (by Aug 20)
Beets (by Aug 20)
Broccoli (by Sept 1)
Brussels Sprouts (by Sept 1)
Cabbage (by Sept 1)
Carrots
Cauliflower (by Sept 1)
Celery*
Collards
Corn (by Aug 10)
Cucumber (by Sept 1)
Garlic Cloves
Okra (by Aug 7)
Oregano (in late Aug)
Parsnips (by Aug 12)
Potato (by Sept 1)
Squash, Summer
Squash, Winter (by Aug 10)
Swiss Chard
Zuchini (by Aug 17)


START SEEDS INDOORS
to transplant later

Broccoli (by Aug 4)*
Cauliflower (by Aug 4)*
Kale (by Aug 24)*





Most of the info for this month's planting guide came from the Aggie Fall Direct Seeding Guides.


*This info came from the Farmer's Almanac planting guide for Waco (possibly for a previous year).  I've been told this is not as accurate as the Aggie Guide, but will include info from it only for veggies not listed in the Aggie Guide.  I will also use it for dates for planting indoors to transplant if it seems to be within a reasonable period from the Aggie transplanting guidance, since their guide doesn't cover this.

 





MORE PLANTING TIPS
These tips are from the book Month to Month Gardening in Texas.   This was written before climate change started to alter things, so keep that in mind and make what adjustments you feel are wise.

Flowers and Bulbs
August is the last chance to plant the dormant bulbs of late summer and fall blooming lycoris  and fall crocus (Colchicum), which begin blooming in September.  August is also a good time to buy and plant Salvias.

Roses and Shrubs
You should prune your roses this month to get them ready for the fall blooming season. The exception is ramblers, climbers, and some varieties of old garden roses, which bloom on growth made the year before prolifically in spring and early summer. These should only be pruned now if absolutely necessary now (it's better to prune these type of roses earlier in the summer). Now is a really bad time to plant roses and shrubs, as the August heat is almost certain to kill new transplants.

Trees
This month is your last chance to plant palm trees, which will need time to get established before the cold. The heat makes this a bad time to plant other types of trees.

Waco Postcards

 Here's a few fun postcards featuring Waco.
The first one is one I made with a photo I took!  
The rest are ones I found by other great artists on Zazzle.

Waco Suspension Bridge by Texifornia

Waco Architecture Postcards by TXDesignProf

Bar & Restaurant, 1939 Post Card by HistoryPhoto

Waco Garden Calendar: March

Below you will find a list suggested plant dates for March!

March 23 is average date of the last spring from in Waco.  Instructions on seed packets will often say "plant after danger of frost." Well, ok, when is that? And how cold does it have to get for that frost to kill my plants?

Well, I looked it up and found that a frost of 29°F to 32°F will kill tender plants, but not damage most other plants. 25°F to 28°F is destructive to most vegetation, and frost 24°F and colder is REALLY BAD.  So check the weather this month when deciding how to protect your plants.

Direct Seed/Use Sets:
(Bolded means last month to plant these this season.)

Arugula (Mar 8-23)
Asparagus
Beans (snap and bush) (after March 5)
Beans, Lima (after March 15)
Beets (before Mar 30)
Cantaloupe (after March 15)
Cilantro***
Collards (before March 25)
Corn, sweet* (after March 23)
Green Beans (after March 30)
Lettuce** (before March 15)
Mustard
Onion (through March 16)***
Parsley (through March 8)**
Parsnips (through March 23)
Peas, Southern (after March 25)
Potato*
Radishes*
Turnip**  (before March 15)
Squash (after March 5)
Watermelon* (after March 15)



Plant Inside To Transplant Later:
(I only bold  things in this section that can't be planted directly, and this is the last month to start indoors to transplant)

Pumpkin (before March 16)
Zucchini (before March 8)


Plant Seedlings or Transplants:
Basil (after March 23)
Broccoli (before March 16)
Cabbage (before March 8)
Cauliflower (before March 16)
Kale (before March 16)
Kohlrabi (March 1-8)
Oregano (after March 23)
Swiss Chard (March 1-8)
Pepper** (after March 30)
Thyme (after March 23)
Tomato** (after March 30)

*Guides differ on whether you can plant this month

**Some differences between sources on exact dates when to plant, but they all said you can plant sometime this month.

***The Central Texas Community Garden Manual says plant seeds indoors this month, and the other guides say wait until February or mid-March and plant directly.  I've put cilantro seeds out starting in January, so I think anytime in March you want to plant them is fine.  No need to wait.



SOURCES:
The Central Texas Community Garden Manual
Texas A&M planting guide
Farmer's Almanac planting guide for Waco

Waco Garden Calendar: February

 

Here's what to plant in February!  

Some notes from the The Central Texas Community Garden Manual.

"The earlier you plant in February, the less insect and disease problems you’re likely to have. "

But, since our last frost date isn't until March, there's some risk to it too.   Definitely wait to plant until temps rise above freezing (except for indoor planting). 


Direct Seed/Use Sets:
(Bolded means last month to plant these this season.)

Asparagus
Beets*
Broccoli*
Cabbage*
Carrots**
Cilantro***
Collards
Corn (early Feb or after Feb 25 - guides conflict)****
Dill
Kohlrabi*
Lettuce*
Mustard
Onion (sets through Feb)***
Parsley (after Feb 22)**
Peas (Feb 8-Mar 1)**
Potato (starting Feb 15)*
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Turnip
Radishes**

Plant Inside To Transplant Later:
(I only bold things here that can't be planted directly, and this is the last month to start indoors)

Basil (before Feb 8)
Broccoli (before Feb 8)
Cabbage (before Feb 8)
Cantaloupes (after Feb 22)
Cauliflower**
Kale (before Feb 8)
Kohlrabi (Feb 8-22)
Leeks
Lettuce (Feb 8-22)
Oregano (before Feb 8)
Pak Choi
Pepper (Hot or Sweet)
Squash (starting Jan 16)
Sweet Potato (Feb 22 - Mar 1)
Swiss Chard (before Feb 22)
Tomatoes (before Feb 8)
Watermelons (Feb 22 - Mar 1)
Zucchini (after Feb 22)


Plant Seedlings or Transplants:
Broccoli (after Feb 22)
Cabbage (after Feb 22)
Cauliflower (after Feb 22)
Kale (after Feb 22)

*Guides differ on whether you can plant this month

**Some differences between sources on exact dates when to plant, but they all said you can plant sometime this month.

***The Central Texas Community Garden Manual  has different directions than others for this month.  It says plant seeds indoors this month, and the other guides say wait until February and March and plant directly.  I've put Cilantro seeds out January through spring (and this Aggie guide says February is the perfect time to start putting them out in the Spring), and  onion sets straight outside in January before and they did fine.   They may start to bolt more as weather warms--harvest often and enjoy the coriander from those that go to seed.  

****The Central Texas Community Garden manual says early February is a great time to plant corn, and to  make sure to  apply fertilizers high in nitrogen to encourage growth.




SOURCES:
The Central Texas Community Garden Manual
Texas A&M planting guide
Farmer's Almanac planting guide for Waco

Waco Garden Calendar: January

 

January may not seem like a great time for gardening, but there's actually somethings you can plant outdoors now, and a lot you can get started indoors.  

Direct Seed Or Use Sets:
(Bolded means last month to plant these this season.)

Carrots (after Jan 15)*
Peas (until the 15th)
Cilantro**
Radishes (after Jan 25)
Spinach
Onion (sets only - after Jan 15)**

Plant Inside To Transplant Later:
(Bolded means last month to plant these inside to transplant this season.)
Basil
Bell Peppers (before 25th)
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery (after Jan 11)
Eggplant (after Jan 11)
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce (Head, not Leaf)
Onion (sets)***
Oregano (after Jan 11)
Pak Choi
Pepper (Hot or Sweet)
Rosemary (after Jan 11)
Swiss Chard (probably late January)*
Squash (starting Jan 16)
Tomatoes (after Jan 25)


*Sources differ on when to plant these.   Some say wait until February.  

**None of the garden guides list Jan as a time you can plant Cilantro...but I've had it sprout in Jan before. And I've heard of people up north overwintering these in the snow, so it's not likely a frost would kill it.  Plus, getting this in early means you might actually get enough to use before it gets warm and bolts.  They can be tucked between items that are slower growers.

***The Central Texas Community Garden Manual says plant seeds indoors this month, and the other guides say wait until February and March and plant directly.  I've put out onion sets straight outside in January before and they did fine. 



SOURCES:
The Central Texas Community Garden Manual
Texas A&M planting guide
Farmer's Almanac planting guide for Waco
Month By Month Gardening In Texas*


*DISCLOSURE:  This is an Amazon affiliate link through which I can earn commission.